Do You Win With Class On & Off The Basketball Court?

Winning with Sportsmanship:

“It is your response to winning or losing that makes you a winner or a loser” – Harry Sheehy, former Dartmouth coach and administrator

Sheehy’s quote above demonstrates that winning and losing with character is the most important aspect of competition. Sure, you play to win the game, and most basketball teams measure their success in any given season by the number of wins they acquired. Hopefully, if these wins start piling up on a consistent basis, it will lead them to a championship of some sort. Every member of a competitive basketball team plays their best to win the game. If you and your team are successful, and you find yourself on the upper hand of the scoreboard at the end of the game, you need so ensure that you handle your successes in the proper manner. The basketball players and teams that best handle their wins while exemplifying sportsmanship are those that manage to stay humble, avoid complacency, and show a strong desire continue their improvement.

Stay Humble

Even the best teams and players in the basketball world can be beat. Most people that keep in touch with NBA basketball would agree that Lebron James is currently the best all around basketball player in the world. He continues to be a dominant force in the league and has a huge impact on every game he is a part of. But, as the world saw in last years NBA Finals matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, even he is susceptible to losing. For this reason you should always be grateful for the times you succeed in winning a ball game. The moment that you start taking wins for granted is the moment when you start losing more often than not. The best teams and players genuinely appreciate the efforts it took for them to win a particular game. They stay humble because they know that at any given moment, their fortunes could change. Lesson to be learned here, handle your wins humbly.

Avoid Complacency

The teams and players that get too comfortable winning, are generally the ones that will then be dealing with a loss soon after. It is easy to become complacent in practice and on the court when things are going the way that you want them too. When you become complacent and comfortable in your winning ways, you tend to ease off the gas pedal a little. By this I mean you might lose that motivation and drive that led you to the successes you have been experiencing because you somewhat forget what it is like to lose and the disappointing feeling that accompanies a loss. The teams and players that continue to win are those that avoid this complacency, keep an everlasting hunger to win, and take each and every game as a challenge to accomplish something new. The key is to always strive for more.

Keep Improving

As a young basketball player, there is always going to inconsistencies in your game that need improving. Despite how good you make think you are and how much you may think you have the game mastered, there is always room for improvement. There is no such thing as the perfect ball player.

Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a player that is constantly striving to add new aspects to his game. Despite being named the MVP of the NBA this past year, he still recognizes that there are places in his game that can still be improved. He and his Thunder teammates are a part of a team that continually have one of the leagues best winning percentages year after year. Although they are considered a successful team, Durant and his teammates continue to strive for more because they still have goals they have yet to accomplish. The idea behind this is that even if you are winning on a consistent basis as a player or team, if you continue to set goals with a focus on continual improvement, you will rise to new heights that you didn’t think possible.

Do You Lose With Class In Basketball?

As young basketball players, it is important to understand that when you and your team lose to an opponent, it is crucial that you do so with class and dignity. In every competitive game of basketball, there can only be one team that wins, that is the beauty of the competition. In saying this, the players on the losing side of a game need to be able to deal with the fact that they just loss in the appropriate manner. Here are some helpful hints that you can implement to your behavior when you find yourself on the wrong side of the scoreboard at the end of a ballgame.

Losing is a Part of Basketball

Everybody loses at some point. The best basketball players in the world lose games every year. Michael Jordan, despite his overall success as a basketball player, lost plenty of games in his career. Losing is a part of the game that nobody enjoys, but that everybody experiences on many occasions. This acceptance of a loss is an aspect that relates to mostly all sports. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali said it best.

“I never thought of losing, but now that it’s happened the only thing is to do it right. That’s my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.” Here Ali has accepted that losing is a part of competition, and doing it appropriately is essential.

Being a “Good Loser”

Nobody likes losing, and you don’t have to either. Furthermore, nobody plays the game to lose; you should always play to win. The desire for one team to outlast another is the essence of competitive sports. What helps a team be successful is their ability to put more points on the scoreboard than the other team. However, you must learn to handle the joy of a win as gracefully as you would the disappointment of a loss.

Understandably so, there probably isn’t one competitive basketball player on this planet that wants to be classified as a “good loser.” What is meant by the term “good loser” is being a player that can maturely handle the emotions that accompany loss. A good loser accepts when his team has been beat by another in that particular game and shakes their opponent’s hands to congratulate them on their success. It may not be the easiest thing to do for you young players with a lot of pride in your game, but it shows incredible character. A good loser learns from the loss, then attempts to correct the mistakes that were made while eventually learning from the mistakes to earn a win in the next game that is played.

Keep Your Head Up

“Sportsmanship for me is when a guy walks off the court and you can’t really tell whether he won or lost, when he carries himself with pride either way.” Jim Courier, former World #1 Professional Tennis Player

The best part about basketball is that there is always another game to be played. Whether your team got crushed by 30 points or lost on a last second buzzer beater, understand that walking out of that game with your head held high is crucial to your success in the following games that have yet to be played. The players and teams that make a habit out of winning are those that use their losses as motivation for the upcoming games. Whatever it is, whether in basketball or in life, make an emphasis on handling your losses with sportsmanship and grace.

What Should I Look For In A Basketball Trainer?

We often get asked the question: “What should I look for in a basketball trainer?” Basketball trainers of all forms exist in the world of youth basketball today. There are some truly great ones that use phenomenal methods to help their students become better players. On the other hand, there are also those that claim to be worthy trainers, but fail to use any sort of effective methods to teach the game. As a young player, you should be looking for these following simple characteristics in your trainer to make certain that you are getting the most out of your time spent in the gym:

Basketball Expertise:

If you are paying for lessons from a basketball trainer, you want to ensure that they themselves have been through the ropes. By this, I mean that the trainer should have experience in playing or coaching at least at the college level as a minimum. The reason for this is because you want to know that they are knowledgeable on the fundamentals and have experienced the hard work it takes to play basketball at a high level before you take advice from them. They must present an expertise and a knowhow of the game that shows that they have accurate information about basketball that they can teach. Furthermore, you want to know that they can give you the tips you need to play basketball at a high level just as they have done.

Ability to Teach/ Instruct Basketball Skills:

Coach K of Duke University basketball once said, “I don’t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.” This is the type of attitude you hope to see in a basketball trainer.

A key characteristic you should look for before deciding on a basketball trainer is seeing if they have the ability to teach the game effectively. In order for you to benefit from their basketball expertise, they need to be able to instruct successfully. A good basketball trainer should easily be able to put into words what basketball skills they want their trainees to work on, why they should be working on them, and how their extra work will benefit them in becoming a better player. In addition to this, it also helps if your trainer is in shape enough that they can show you physically and specifically how they would like each drill performed. Having someone that can model for you the correct way to perform a jab step or crossover dribble will help you in easily being able to copy these actions for your own game.

Enjoys their Basketball Job And Is Happy:

Nobody likes to be around someone that is unhappy. It causes a loss in motivation and sucks the enjoyment out of that moment in time. This pertains to your basketball trainer as well. You should be looking for a basketball trainer that is genuinely excited every time he comes into the gym to teach his craft. They should truly enjoy the time that they spend teaching the game of basketball and have an excitement about it that is contagious to the young individuals that they are training. A trainer with a positive attitude is much more effective at teaching the game because he will instill a love for the game in his students that they will want to also exemplify. When a basketball trainer can keep the game fun they promote a sort of willingness from the people they are training to exert as much effort as they can to improve their game.

To Sum Up, Your Basketball Trainer Should:

Have high level basketball playing or coaching experience

Show an ability to teach their craft

Love teaching the game of basketball

Don’t hesitate to email us at BasketballTrainer.com with any questions you have or if we can help you find a basketball trainer in your area.

Become An Effective Leader on and off the Basketball Court

Many coaches and players analyze the art of basketball leadership training. Some people believe that leaders are born naturally, already possessing the qualities needed to motivate and inspire others. However, it takes mindfulness and diligence to become an effective leader and regardless of whether you feel like you were born with the pre-disposition to lead – you certainly have what it takes to become one!

By beginning to focus and work on the following 5 traits of a great leader, you can begin to mold yourself into the type of player that people want to have as a motivating force on and off the basketball court.

1. Lead by example

Leading by example is the foremost thing that you must remember as you are working to build up your reputation as a leader on and off the basketball court. You have to continually be thinking of how your coaches, teachers, classmates and teammates see you and whether your actions line up directly with your words. This is not to be confused with caring too much what other people think, however it is important that you are mindful and you do care about your reputation. Think about the people that you look up to and consider what you expect from them in regards to their consistent actions, words and behaviors – it’s safe to assume that someone that leads by example is going to be well-liked, trusted and respected by their superiors and peers.

A good example of this would be to arrive early to practice and stay late – the more you focus on leading by example the more your teammates will follow in your footsteps and next thing you know, you might have three or four after practice shooting buddies. Everyone is always looking for someone to emulate and follow – why not you?

2. Nurture your relationships

Relationships with people are at the top of the list for leaders, because without others who is there to lead? Whether it is with authority figures like your basketball coaches and teachers or your fellow teammates and classmates, it’s important that you strive to have a positive relationship with every single person that you interact with on a daily basis.

There will always be people that you tend to “click” with better and they will be your close companions, but being a leader requires that you prove your ability to be adaptable to different personalities and with people who have different viewpoints in life as well. Regardless of whether you are interacting with someone you get along with well or someone that you simply tolerate, as a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are doing everything in your personal power to make everyone feel part of the team. Taking a few minutes after practice to sit down and get to know a teammate more personally or simply to encourage them more often is a great way to nurture your relationships. The same goes for people outside of your team as well – who can you think of that you could invest a few extra moments of quality time into encouraging and building up today?

3. Volunteer your time

Time is the most valuable thing than anyone can give to another person or cause. It’s easy to get caught up in our own little worlds and focus all of our time and energy on what we need to get done in order to accomplish our personal goals. However, caring leaders put it in their schedules to take valuable personal time to help with causes that may not directly benefit them in the long run. This attribute of a leader can be used in many ways on and off the basketball court and will certainly speak volume to your character.

There are always opportunities in your community to give of yourself and time to help those in need – whether it’s through your local church and school, or whether it’s something that you simply saw that needed to be done for your neighbor – volunteering is something that not many people are willing to do on a consistent basis.

Take a few moments to check in with your coach to see how you can help him with any extra tasks in the locker room or out on the floor for cleanup after practice. It doesn’t matter if you’re the leading scorer on the team or not, if you want to become a leader, you have to be willing to serve others first!

Another great idea for volunteering for your basketball team would be to hang around before or after practice to rebound the ball for a teammate that you know has been working to improve their form and increase their shooting percentage. The only element missing may just be extra support and encouragement from a leader to gain the confidence they need to excel – you really never know what great things can come from small, random acts of kindness!

4. Convert your leadership failures and weaknesses into strengths

The greatest leaders are very aware of what their weaknesses are. Rather than focusing on those weaknesses to the point of self-defeat, a great leader will turn that weakness around and use it as strength – it’s all about your mindset!

An effective leader is also not afraid of failing from time to time. If Michael Jordan sat down after missing a potential game winning shot and threw his hands up in the air with self- doubt and defeat, he’d never have become the basketball great that he is adorned for being today.

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” –Michael Jordan

As you can see, Michael Jordan always focused his personal attention to making his weaknesses his strengths and you have to do the same if you are going to reach your leadership potential. Whether you need to spend more time working on your defensive game or you need to cut back the social time to put in those few extra hours of studying a school subject to help you increase your grade point average, you must take your weaknesses into account and work at them harder than anything else. Eventually, they won’t be your weaknesses anymore and you can switch your focus onto something new – that’s the beauty in it!

5. Become highly coachable – leaders should know how to follow!

Coachable basketball players are always the most successful. It’s easy to step out onto the court as a talented player and “do your thing” so to speak. However, when striving to become the best leader possible, you have to be willing to admit when you’re wrong and need guidance.

Being coachable means that you are teachable, and this certainly applies to every aspect in life. The best people to learn from in life are those with experience and wisdom – your elders and authority figures. To be a coachable person, you have to be willing to listen first and speak less. You also have to be accepting of and open to constructive criticism; you may not always like what your coaches, teachers and parents have to say, but if you focus on grasping their overall point within their message you will gain their respect and you will benefit most.

Your teammates and peers are always watching, and if you roll your eyes and throw your head back when your coach reminds you for the fifth time in one practice to set a screen within a play your team is learning, your teammates might just do the same or form a negative opinion of you. It’s best to accept that you are struggling and focus more on getting it right. If by the end of practice you still don’t feel confident in what you are doing, take a few extra moments to grab your coach and have him break it down for you until you feel confident. Your coach will appreciate your openness and will enjoy helping you as you are willing to be coachable!

6. Work harder than anyone else

Great leaders may not always be the best players on the team or the smartest students in class, but they do outwork other people to the point of it being noticeable by those around them. It takes a lot of effort to earn leadership status on a basketball team, and the best leaders out there didn’t have it handed to them. Not only do you need to concentrate on your character development, but you also have to be willing to get to work!

Leading by example is one thing, but by striving to be the best every workout, practice or game through your work ethic is another. You may not be that player or student that everything just seems to come easy for and that’s fine – that just means when you do reach your goals and you do outcompete your teammates and peers you can be confident in knowing that you genuinely worked for it.

Your work ethic should be filled with so much fire and passion, that you motivate those around to take their intensity up a level when you are around – the inspiring quality of a true leader!

Leaders are not always naturally born and they certainly don’t become effective role models by not working at it. Whether you feel like you have what it takes already or simply want to focus on developing the characteristics required for leading others, this list is a great place to start because you do have what it takes to motivate, inspire and encourage – all within you!

We have had the pleasure of working many Austin Youth Basketball Clinics with former collegiate & pro player Mike Vandegarde. Mike has also worked for years as collegiate coach and has been a scout for the NBA for the last 15 years. Mike is also the proud father of two youth basketball players. We asked Mike: “What should parents, coaches and trainers focus on when teaching beginning youth basketball players?”

What to teach a beginning basketball player as they start to learn the game

The Basics…

How to Dribble:

Practice, Practice, Practice, that is how children learn how to dribble. Being able to dribble with both hands is the most important skill one can learn early on. Following that they need to learn how to dribble without looking at the basketball. Also, learning how to change directions while dribbling to get by defenders is when things really get exciting. They need to practice dribbling while going full speed. That means running and dribbling as fast as they can without losing control of the ball. These dribbling techniques can not be learned unless the time is put in by the player on the court.

How to Shoot:

Technique is the rule when it comes to shooting. The shooting hand needs to be under the ball and the guide hand needs to be on the side of the ball. The ball should not be deep in the palm of your shooting hand. Proper rotation and release is vital and that is very difficult for many younger children. As you release the shot the middle finger and pointer finger should be the last 2 parts of your hand touching the ball. A reverse rotation on the shot is best and that helps as the ball lands on the rim to make the ball go through the basket. Age, strength and size will determine the level of skill they can master in terms of shooting the ball. Different release points or very normal for kids early in the learning process. Weather the release is from the body, the forehead or the side it is most important to teach your kids how to shot with one hand and how to get the proper rotation.

How to Pass:

Being able to pass the ball makes playing the game with others fun. A simple chest pass, bounce pass, and overhead pass are needed from day one. Hands should be on the sides of the ball, and both hands should be used while passing. Many kids like to use one hand and that teaches bad habits. A chest pass should be straight with no arc and from chest to chest. A bounce pass should be the exact same form as a chest pass and should bounce closer to the receiver then the passer. Both these passes should have some backspin to make it easier to catch and softer on the bounce. The overhead pass is very similar to a soccer throw in. You have both hands on the side of the ball and throw from the top of your head to the receivers face. Passing is very much like dribbling. Practice is the only thing that will get you better.

The Advanced…

How to make a proper lay up:

So many kids can not make a layup jumping off the proper leg and shooting with the proper hand. This is the best technique you will ever teach a child learning the game. You shoot a right handed layup with the right hand jumping off the left foot. The right knee should come forward and help propel the entire body up toward the rim. Just like you are skipping or jumping to touch something very high. A left handed layup is the exact mirror image. You shoot with your left hand jumping off your right leg. Once again the left knee will go forward as if you are skipping or jumping for something very high (videos are all over the internet to get this technique correct). Basketball is all about footwork and balance and learning to shoot a proper layup sets the foundation for everything your child will learn about the game. Kids get cut from middle school and traveling teams because they can not make a proper layup. Teach them early how to do it correctly.

How to Pivot:

This takes balance and proper technique. When kids first start playing games they get stuck when they pick up the ball after dribbling. They need to learn how to pivot to create good passing angles and passing lanes to pass the ball to a teammate. Kids need to learn how to pivot on their toes and stay on balance. There are 4 types of pivots. A right forward pivot, a right reverse pivot, a left forward pivot, and a left reverse pivot. Understanding each one takes time and practice. Being able to do just one pivot well will make a difference when playing games and not turning the ball over to the other team.

Triple threat position:

Triple threat means when you catch the ball you should be ready to dribble, pass, or shoot. This means catching the ball and bringing the ball to your chest with your strongest hand behind the ball ready to dribble, pass, or shoot. Every time you catch the ball you should teach your child that their first instinct should be to go to the basket with the dribble. Most kids just starting out need to get within 6-8 feet of the basket to make a shot. As your child gets a better understanding and skill level for the game they can tell when a pass or quick shot is the best option.

In conclusion…

Everything I have talked about in this article takes time and practice to master. Children need to not only practice these skills but to practice them going at full speed. Games happen at full speed and kids need to practice techniques at full speed. If your son or daughter has a real interest in the game these early techniques are a necessity to building their skills for the future. We all want our children to have success in sports so go find a driveway, a park, a basement, or a gym and get started to today and share these great skills with them.

The Surprising Effects of Dairy on Your Daily Basketball Nutrition

I am a former college basketball player and during my freshmen season I had been struggling with severe digestive issues. It was so bad that any time our team went out to the track or had a longer workout or practice; I began to dread it instantly, knowing that my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) was going to flare up forcing me to have to embarrassingly ask to excuse myself once again. It also made it difficult for me to perform with the level of intensity I needed to in order to keep up with the rest of the team, which was very disheartening.

I knew that I had a serious health problem, but I didn’t know what the underlying cause was at the time. Athletic trainers and team physicians kept telling me that it was all due to mental and physiological stress, but I wasn’t convinced. My life wasn’t very stressful and I just intuitively knew that there was no way that stress was the root cause.

It wasn’t until I heard a theory about dairy products causing digestive upset in some people that I began to wonder if I fell into this group of people. I began to do tons of personal research and based upon what I found which I will lay out in the following sections of this article, I made the decision to completely cut out dairy products from my daily nutrition plan.

The results I quickly achieved were outstanding – my digestive system began to heal and I was no longer plagued with seasonal allergies!

I’ve never had any digestive issues like that since and the fact that my seasonal allergies were eliminated as well was enough for me to continue focusing on limiting my dairy intake.

I would like it to be known that the opinions and beliefs expressed within this article are based upon my personal experience with the consumption of dairy products, specifically cow’s milk and are intended to provide a new viewpoint to the table based upon my opinion, experience and research.

Milk in our Basketball Culture

Milk has long been thought of as the healthiest non-water beverage that you can consume. Daily consumption of milk has long been promoted by the USDA and FDA as being the ideal source of non-meat protein and calcium to enhance growth development in young children and athletes as well as strong bones in the elderly.

We’ve all seen the “Got Milk!” advertisements and other commercial products heavily promoting the dairy industry as they’ve flooded us with over $300 million in advertisements each year. Many of these marketing campaigns have featured sports stars and movie celebrities reminding us to drink milk every day for all of its nutritional benefits.

For decades the American culture has widely believed and followed this popular general health recommendation – however, today there are many people that have begun to question the validity of these supposed healthy living claims as seen on the government regulated ‘Food Guide Pyramid’.

The potentially misleading information given about the nutritional benefits of dairy products is not the only thing that poses a potential health threat to those that consume it on a regular basis; an even bigger and nastier issue is the manufacturing process of the dairy products.

Artificial hormones and antibiotics are being pumped into the sick livestock which has contaminated the overall milk supply and the only way to make the milk from these sick animals saleable is to pasteurize it which kills off any pathogens. However, issue still remains since pasteurization doesn’t address the toxic overload issue in the supply that directly impacts the American public’s health and safety.

This article is not intended to bash the dairy industry, but rather to inform and educate basketball players to help them make the wisest nutritional choices possible to support their athletic bodies through building a wise nutrition plan.

Knowledge is power, and understanding the harmful effects that today’s dairy products can have on the human body is game changing information. Fortunately, in today’s health foods market there are several milk alternatives to choose from providing safer and more wholesome health benefits for basketball players and non-athletes alike.

Does Dairy Have a Rightful Place in a Healing Diet for Basketball Players?

Basketball players and athletes have high demands put on their bodies, so it’s important that they are only fueling up with foods sources that are going to keep it functioning effectively and efficiently while avoiding any sources that could potentially cause health issues.

While milk has long been touted as a very nutritious food source, the fact is that dairy foods are mucous producing agents that promote the growth of bad bacteria in the body. This auto-immune reaction interferes with the cleansing-healing process, making it practically impossible to allow your body’s own natural healing mechanisms to work optimally.

Dairy foods are very dense and high in saturated fats that challenge digestion, immunity and metabolism. Basketball players need to consider this alarming physiological truth because anything that is going to hinder those three basic bodily functions is certainly not something that you want to include in your healthy basketball nutrition plan on a regular basis because it could slow you down on the court so to speak.

In fact, over one-quarter of Americans are intolerant to dairy foods (lactose intolerant), meaning they will experience allergic reactions, very poor elimination and digestion (weight gain and constipation) and severe mucous build-up (inflammation). Sounds nasty right? That’s because it is.

Another startling fact is that dairy foods become harder to digest as we age because our bodies don’t naturally produce high levels of milk-digesting enzymes (lactase) and after we’re done nursing from our own mothers the need for this enzyme is no longer needed theoretically – unless you choose to drink cow’s milk consistently of course.

Despite whether your body is completely intolerant to dairy products or not, the strain put on the eliminative organs like the colon and urinary system is caused from the clogging that occurs over time due to the overproduction of mucous. Dairy literally acts like toxic sludge in the body slowing everything down for the worse.

Many people claim to gain higher, more consistent energy levels after greatly reducing or eliminating their daily dairy intake – this is directly related to the reduction in mucous and the improved functioning of vital eliminative organs. It’s safe to assume that all basketball players are aiming to keep their health in tip top shape and dairy doesn’t seem to fit the equation for a wholesome, clean daily diet.

What about all of the Nutritional Content in Cow’s Milk Building up Strong Bodies for Basketball Players?

Since the early 1990’s, the dairy industry has done a great job of marketing their products as an essential part of any health eating program by posting pictures of basketball legends like Michael Jordan and Shaquile O’ Neal all over media sources to influence young players to drink their daily intake of dairy to build up a strong body to help make them a better player – the raw truth is that this is all very misleading information.

Michael Jordan did not become the basketball great that he was because he drank milk every day. This is not to say that he didn’t drink milk, but he certainly didn’t get most of his daily recommended calcium from it considering that the human body doesn’t absorb dairy calcium well because of the pasteurizing and homogenizing processes it takes to make the milk safe for human consumption.

“A 12 year study, formally known as the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study finds that high intake of milk and other dairy foods does not reduce bone breaks or osteoporosis. The study found that instead that hip fracture risk was 1.45 times higher in women who drank 2 or more glasses of milk per day compared to women who only had one glass or less per week.”[1]

This study proves that homogenized milk is a poor source of absorbable calcium and has very low levels of magnesium to make matters less nutritious. Any good source of calcium will have a 1:1 ration of magnesium along with it to increase absorbability of the essential mineral. Instead, the protein found in cow’s milk may actually cause the loss of calcium via the urinary tract ultimately leading to poor skeletal health overall.

Another factor to consider is that conventional milk is not extracted from grass-fed cattle; instead the dairy cows are being fed artificial grains that are loaded with even more toxic substances making their way into your body with each sip.

The fundamental question in this instance is how can the milk from artificial grain fed cattle have significant amounts of calcium, minerals, and vitamin D when these minerals can only be present in the cow’s body if the cow is eating grass which is the original source of the minerals? It simply can’t.

On the contrary, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables positively affects bone health.

In fact, studies have been conducted comparing the absorption of the calcium content in cow’s milk to that of vegetable sources. It was discovered that the absorption of the calcium from brussels sprouts was 63.8%, broccoli was 52.6%, kale was 50%, compared to only 32% from milk.

Leafy greens, other vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish and non-GMO soy foods have much higher amounts of absorbable calcium as well as other important minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium and selenium.

Basketball players need the benefits from calcium and other minerals to help prevent sidelining injuries and illnesses, so you are much better off focusing on getting in your 3-5 servings of vegetables each day than you are by serving up a cold glass of cow’s milk.

The protein content in cow’s milk is equally as ineffective for the human body as its calcium content. Cow’s milk contains a specific protein known as bovine serum albumin and actually triggers an auto-immune reaction in the body causing antibodies to attack and destroy insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas. This is why children who are given cow’s milk during infancy have a higher risk of developing diabetes later on in life as mentioned in the New England Journal of Medicine.[2]

Finally, the saturated fat (unhealthy fat) content in dairy is very dense, high and unhealthy. Even if you do choose 2% or 1% milk, you are still consuming 35% and 25% saturated fat per glass respectively.

The bottom line is that dairy products are not contributing to your muscle building and athletic efforts on or off the court in the weight room.

How do Today’s Dairy Manufacturing Processes Affect my Health?

These artificial hormones are used to increase the milk production of cattle in order to meet the high supply and demand of American dairy products.

Due to America’s surplus milk demand and dairy subsidies, it’s easy to understand why farmers would use these unnatural and health hazardous hormones to promote more milk production from their cattle.

Although the research is slimmer, the International Journal of Health Services does show that genetically engineered rBGH may promote breast and colon cancer in humans.

Europe and Canada already ban the use of artificial hormones in dairy cows, and has taken it a step further by banning the importation of U.S. dairy goods to their countries for this reason.

Despite the lack of scientific evidence, it’s safe to assume that common sense prevails over this matter – if only the United States had more of it considering that other countries clearly value the people more by putting the public health and safety of its citizens and livestock over the almighty dollar.

It is known, however, that cows treated with these artificial hormones have increased incidences of mastitis infections (inflammation, infection, cancer).

These infections start a vicious cycle by forcing farmers to treat the sick cattle with more antibiotics to keep them healthy enough to continue producing milk. If the farmers lose their cattle, they lose money and they are willing to do anything to keep that from happening.

“The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that an astounding 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics are fed to animals every year to help fight illnesses that break out in overcrowded, unsanitary feed lots.”[4]

The over worked cattle’s swollen utters dragging on the manure-laden floors not only increase the risk of bacterial infections, but also contaminates the milk; in combination with the antibiotics given to the cattle to treat the infections which are also found in the milk, this creates more of a creamy toxic substance rather than fresh, raw, organic milk like nature intended.

The dairy industry’s solution to this problem is to pasteurize the milk, however pasteurization only knocks out the bacterial pathogens – it doesn’t address the matter of there also being significant amounts of hormones and pesticides still being present after the pasteurization process served straight to the American public.

The reality is that the diary industry’s current practices are not in you or your family’s best interests, it’s all to increase supply and demand for a profit by whatever means they have to do that – healthy and safe or not!

Is Raw Milk and Fermented Dairy Products Equally Unhealthy?

Raw milk is a much healthier choice to make if you are going to continue using dairy products in your basketball nutrition plan. Raw milk can only be found at your local farmer’s market or through a private farmer, but is definitely the way to go.

Fermented dairy products like kefir and yogurt are also healthier dairy products. They are cultured foods that present health benefits by providing the body with significant amounts of healthy bacteria (probiotics) and absorbable calcium for the body. These fermented foods are actually considered living because they contain intestinal flora that aide the digestive process, and since the lactase enzyme is not needed to breakdown these forms of dairy products they are much easier to assimilate and absorb than milk, cheese or butter.

There are no health issues with continuing or adding these forms of dairy into your nutrition plan unless you are completely intolerant to lactose.

What Healthy Milk Alternatives Should Basketball Players look for?

Just because the dairy industry has fallen to the wayside, it doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy your favorite cereal, smoothies, shakes, ice cream and baked goods. The creamy consistency of milk is what makes it so enjoyable and while it’s obviously not the best idea to continue rushing out to the grocery store to buy another gallon when you’ve run out, it is a good idea to start looking to healthier milk alternatives that actually do provide nutritional benefits for your basketball body and nutrition plan.

Listed below are the most nutritious milk alternatives found on the market. All of them can be substituted for milk in all recipes and are excellent served in many of your traditionally milk-based treats like smoothies and ice cream. These milk alternatives are made using highly nutritious nuts and seeds and offer the benefits of healthy fats, protein, minerals, vitamins as well as being free from artificial sugars.

There are so many options available that you are destined to find one that suits your consistency, texture, and taste needs. Many of these alternatives are also found in vanilla and chocolate flavors and are sweetened using natural cane sugar, which still amounts to much less than that found in conventional cow’s milk.

If you are interested in making your own nut or seed milk, there are easy recipes online for making them at home as well.

Flax Milk – rich in healthy omega-3 fats, flax milk is made using flax seeds and is a great option for those looking for a creamy consistency with a slightly nutty taste. Flax milk is lactose, cholesterol and saturated fat free making it an ideal choice for replacing your cow’s milk with. The only pitfall to flax milk is that it doesn’t contain any protein, however you can find it with fortified protein if you desire.

Hemp Milk – this milk alternative is made using hemp seeds and is very rich in omega-3 and omega-6 healthy fats. It is also a great source of amino acids, providing about 4 grams of protein per serving. Hemp milk contains 46% of your RDA of absorbable calcium and is also rich in other vitamins and nutrients like Vitamin A, E, B12, folic acid, iron and magnesium.

Coconut Milk – great for adding to smoothies and ice cream recipes, coconut milk offers a delicious milk alternative. Coconut milk is made from the meat of mature coconuts and is easy to digest. You will benefit from drinking coconut milk because of the healthy fat content, antioxidants, Vitamins C, E and B, as well as minerals like magnesium, potassium and phosphorous.

Almond Milk – one of the most popular milk alternatives, almond milk, is known for being a low-calorie, saturated fat and cholesterol free beverage that can also help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Offering the nutritional benefits of calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and fiber are a few other perks to including this in your daily basketball nutrition plan.

A few honorable mention milk alternative products include soy milk, rice milk, quinoa milk and cashew milk that all are great options.

Although cow’s milk and other dairy products have long been a staple in the traditional American diet, many people are now turning to healthier, less toxic alternatives in order to prevent the risks associated with consuming today’s conventional dairy.

Basketball players need the best nutrition possible to maintain a healthy body and immune system during the season and the current facts and studies point out some valid reasons to reconsider your choices for dairy as part of your daily nutrition plan. By focusing on getting your daily servings of fruits, veggies, and other wholesome foods as well as trying out some of the milk alternatives mentioned, you are on your way to getting enough calcium, protein and other minerals necessary to support your basketball health goals on and off the court!

When Danielle first sent me this article, I was taken aback a bit as it challenged several of my own beliefs. After reading it a second and third time I thought it was important to share this article with our audience for a few reasons:

Many people have digestive issues and struggle with it during training. This might shed some light on their struggle.

We all need to take a better look at the sugars we consume as they are hidden in many products we view as “healthy.”

This article provides a starting point conversation that should continue with your doctor and parents (if you are a minor.) Everyone has a different digestive system but after consulting a doctor, education and monitoring thru the use of a basketball nutrition food journal you should be able to make strides to improve your overall health and your game. Looking at dairy intake can be one factor.

The world needs to be aware of the power that mighty lobbying groups have on our daily basketball nutrition. Danielle brings a fresh voice to challenge our assumptions and make us think at the supermarket.

We welcome a response from the dairy industry or trainers with a different viewpoint if it can expand the breadth of this dialogue. We will be contacting the dairy industry to hear their response and hopefully get to share that.

Basketball Food Journal – What is That?

A basketball food journal, also known as a food log or food diary, is a daily form that serious players in basketball training use to track your nutrition intake over a set period of time.

I believe that all basketball players should keep a daily food journal for at least 2 weeks out of every month, if not just making it an ongoing part of their basketball nutrition strategy.

Keeping a food journal is fairly simple, yet does require an increased commitment to logging everything that you eat and drink for a set period of time. You can choose to either create your own personal food journal, buy or find a pre-made one online or even use a phone app such as My Fitness Pal. Whichever way you decide to go with logging your daily nutritional intake, be sure that it makes the most sense for your lifestyle and personality so that you will stick with it in the long run. We also recommend periodically sharing your food journal in your discussions with your basketball trainer so they can help you pinpoint between your peaks and valleys in performance.

A basic food journal for basketball players should at the very least include: what you are eating (try to be as specific as possible), what time you ate each meal/snack, a way to track your water intake, how much time has passed between each meal/snack, how you felt before and after you ate. More detailed journals centered on meeting specific goals like increasing muscle mass or reducing body fat percentage should include things like total calories along with fat, protein and carbohydrate content of each meal.

The most convenient time to log your food and fluid intake will be different for everyone. Some players may find it easier to jot things down after each meal and snack as they go along in their days, while others may have more success doing it all at the very end of their day. The only potential problem to waiting until the end of the day is the chance that you might forget to include something.

Making the decision to commit to tracking your nutritional intake as a basketball player can have a very positive impact on your overall health which will translate into your performance on the court. How can you know whether or not you are consistently fueling your body with the right types and amounts of foods if you don’t take the time to review your days and weeks? The bottom line is that you can’t, while it is effective to always choose as healthy foods as possible, sometimes it’s easy to overlook the fine details of your diet that could be causing you to perform at less than your best.

I’d like to share with you my top 4 reasons why every basketball player should keep a food journal at least from time to time.

– unless it’s written down, often it’s easy to overlook small details in your eating habits. Keeping a food journal will help you distinguish between what you think you may or may not be doing on a regular basis in your diet in comparison to what you actually are. For example, having everything written out will help you to pinpoint patterns like what kinds of food you tend to eat at certain points in the day, times that you may be waiting too long to eat your next meal or snack and you might even be surprised at your actual water intake.

Achieve specific basketball nutritional goals

– it’s difficult to achieve any goal without being able to measure success. A daily basketball food journal is a strategic and wise way to set yourself up to create the daily nutrition to meet your goals. Whether you are wanting to increase your muscle mass or even reduce some unwanted body fat, it’s important to know what and how much you are eating each day. Specific goals require specific action and a food journal is the easiest, most effective way to face the reality of what you are or aren’t putting into your body to get you to where you want to be physically to support your basketball performance in the least amount of time.

Plan your pre- and –post basketball workout meals

– on the days that you are busy, it can be easy to overlook the importance in fueling your body properly before and after a basketball practice, workout or game. Keeping a daily food journal can be especially helpful with you being able to choose the best foods and supplements to fuel your body with. Logging what you are eating before you play will allow you to see which foods give you more energy and which foods seem to slow you down out on the court. Also, it’s a great way to hold yourself accountable for getting in the best post workout nutrition possible after exerting yourself physically for hours. These two meals are the most important meals that a basketball player will eat aside from breakfast, so it’s important to recognize what you are fueling your body with consistently.

Keep up with your daily supplementation

– aside from food, including regular nutritional supplementation in your basketball game plan like taking a daily multi-vitamin can be incredibly beneficial. With so many things to remember in regards to healthy eating, sometimes remembering to take your supplements can slide under the radar. Including these in your daily food journaling efforts can help you keep up with what and when you need to take your nutritional support products each day.

As you’ve now learned, sometimes getting a little more pro-active with your basketball nutrition goals by keeping a periodic food journal can really elevate you and give you a strategic advantage to success. It’s always easier to make changes when you know exactly what areas you need to work on, rather than feeling like you’re drowning in changes that need to be made without any real idea of where to start.

Get ahead of the game and grab your pen and basketball food journal for healthier and more effective basketball nutrition!

Basketball Life Lessons

Basketball, as is the case with many other team sports, provides lessons that are universal and relatable to all walks of life. The lessons that can be learned through organized basketball translate to essential life lessons.

Working With Others in a Group or Team Setting: THE KEYS TO TEAM SUCCESS

The best basketball teams are the ones that have extremely cohesive parts, players, and coaches. They are close-knit, work well together, feed off each other’s energy, and listen to each other. This group cohesiveness allows them to better respond to adversity and execute better when they are in pressure or crunch time situations on the court. Packer’s coaching legend Vince Lombardi said it best; “Individual commitment to a group effort- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

The same can be said for the game of life. At many points in life you will find yourself working with teams for whatever career path you choose. It is important to understand how to be a positive piece to the team and ultimately be someone that makes the team better as a whole. Check out what University of Maine at Fort Kent’s All American Joe McCloskey shares on basketball life lessons. This involves learning how to pick your teammates up when they are down and having the ability to find just as much satisfaction in the success of a teammate as you find for the success of yourself. Ultimately, if you learn how to be the best teammate you can possibly be, you are making the team that much more cohesive.

Effort is Rewarded: “THE HARDER YOU WORK THE LUCKIER YOU GET!”

Hard work will always trump talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Despite natural athletic ability or individual physical gifts, the player that works the hardest will achieve the most success on the court. Hard work ALWAYS pays off. The player that is constantly working on his basketball craft and putting in extra shooting drills before and after practice will earn the starting spot over the player that only does the bare minimum to make the team. If you are this type of player, you will have considerable success against the opposing team because you will have out worked your opponent. Having this sort of work ethic will prove successful at every level of basketball, earning you starting spots on your team and possibly leading to collegiate scholarships.

This lesson is applicable to lifelong goals or career goals as well. Being the person that shows up to your job early, stays late, and gives your best effort will more often than not result in some type of reward. This sort of work ethic will gain the attention of the right people and lead to better success in life. Build up a reputation for being someone that is always going to give your best effort and amazing opportunities will present themselves. In the words of the late John Wooden, “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self satisfaction in knowing that you made the EFFORT to become the best of which you are capable.”

Confidence is Key:

The best players on the basketball court are the ones that truly believe they are the best. They are the ones that are confident enough in their abilities to seize opportunities rather than worry about what things might go wrong. They omit any doubts in their basketball abilities that they might have with the preparation they put in before game time. By practicing on your basketball skills to the point where you have mastered them, then there should be nothing to worry about when the lights come on. Knowing you can get by your defender and score with the moves you’ve practiced is half the battle, the other half is just executing it. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be, and the better basketball player you will become.

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Here, Helen Keller is establishing that confidence and having a positive mindset can help you accomplish great things in life. Being optimistic in what you can accomplish is the first step. Take for example, an interview for your dream job. If fully prepared for this interview, then those nervous “butterflies” will most likely be at a minimum. If you know that you have done everything you can to be ready for that situation, then you can relax, exude the confidence you have in yourself, and let your preparation take care of the rest. Research has shown that participation in sports such as basketball can lead to greater personal confidence and self esteem in an individual along with ability to build better peer relationships. People innately respond to confident people because they feel that they can trust someone that believes in themselves. Believe in yourself and others will believe in you as well.

To sum up:

Help your team become the best by being the best teammate.

Effort is in your hands. Push yourself to work harder than you ever thought you could.

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